Friday, November 5, 2010

Not Your Mother's Easter Corsage

Meet a LC - Laelia Cattleya. I do not know the hybrid name - the tag was lost a long time ago. This beauty is blooming for the first time, thanks to Harry's lath house creation, and my finally learning, somewhat, how to fend off the myriad of viruses, fungi, and snails, and to adjust the light and water issues that determine plant success. If you are thinking "big deal" - my marigolds are loaded with blossoms - than consider that an orchid plant takes about 7 years to reach maturity where it can bloom, and many bloom once a year. And, the light, and nutrition has to be correct for it to happen. So when plants that I have had for literally years finally throw out a little bud, I am ecstatic. I watch the tortuously slow growth daily until, like this morning, I go outside and see this beauty in nearly full bloom. Each flower has an iridescence that does not show on camera, as though dusted with a frosty fine glitter. Many have heady fragrances, but this one does not. I will get hopefully a couple weeks of enjoyment in the house until it wilts and then goes out to the yard, until, hopefully next year.
The above Dendrobium, and above it, Cattleya, are examples of sticking a plant on a tree down here. I mean, literally sticking it on with liquid nails, wrapping a wire around it for a day until the glue dries and then watching it slowly send its roots out to wrap around the tree and live in symbiosis, like in nature. These two plants took over two years to send out inflorescence and bloom.

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